


Story of a fish

by suspendeddaydreams



Category: Andrew Hozier-Byrne (Musician), Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Original Work
Genre: Gen, Other, and also loosely inspired by Hozier's underwater photoshoot, based upon a cheesy song from my childhood that is such a fairytale, but you can imagine these characters however you like, it's quite naive just like the song and a bit because of my own lack of imagination but alas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 13:23:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19906408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suspendeddaydreams/pseuds/suspendeddaydreams
Summary: No one knows this, but once upon a summer night a prince took me away... Into the waters of my happiness.





	Story of a fish

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gloriousthorn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gloriousthorn/gifts).



I go there every dusk to clear my mind, look at the waves, the birds and the boats. Because it feels good to bury the feet in some fluffy piece of sand. Because I live nearby, so why not? That’s what one usually does when they go to the beach, mostly when there’s no one else by the shore...  
HAH! Who am I to lie to myself? The beach is beautiful, the void is welcoming, watching the moon rise with the waves is magnificent. But it wasnt just that which lured me to there time after time in which I remain in the most absolute of trances. The moon may be of women, be the queen of the dark skies and of the emotions. But never have I imagined to lay eyes on somebody whom upon the Earth could be like her up in the sky. Who shone so brightly under such light, like pure silver. Or that of the sun, like ember.  
As in all the other occasions, I ended up arriving just in time to sit, settle down and soon to hear another’s syncopated steps at the part where the water splashes and goes back a few meters ahead, when I thought he wouldn’t be coming anymore. The sun setting and him, coming... Bare feet in a race without rush; either almost without sound on the hard and wet sand, or adding melody to the incessant harmony of the shore once they are touched by the water and spread it.  
The magnetism was such that I’d watch the occasional birds in pairs either meeting or retiring to their nests and the boats floating away while the night was coming, painting the horizon with dark watercolor for what felt like forever. With my heart racing by the now usual perspective of that silhouette slowly crossing the rays of moonlight, this time in a relaxed gait. Even so, he seemed too lost inside himself to raise his gaze to me so that I could see his colors; and I, too shy to make at least a minimal approach. Therefore, all in that beach, except the man knew about how I felt and that it was already beyond anything I could explain.  
It was after several days in self denial that I could admit to myself the madness of being attracted to somebody I did not know except for their appearence and the habit of going to the beach at the same time I do. That’s because at night I also see him in my dreams. I can swear in the name of all the faith I wish I truly had that I hear a voice hover above the sea and city noises referring to me. “Come with me”, it says, and something made me feel sure it belonged to the one who went across the shore, albeit we never talked... Deep down I knew it could only be desire messing up with my reasoning, because that’s what I wanted.  
That same night, however, everything changed. Instead of keeping on going his way back to wherever and time and again making me want to die from the urge to kiss him, I saw him briefly look towards me, combing his hair with his fingers. I felt my heart stop the second the man turned his back on me; body cut against the white and dull light and feet stroking the foam at the end of the crests. After a few minutes, he came in my direction with hands in his pockets as though he had all the time in the world. And myself there, paralysed. But I wouldn't run away.  
\- Come with me. No fear. I swear. – whispered the man, now crouched in front of me and gesturing as one does when they have the intention of taking the other person’s hand.  
\- But how... – I babbled in disbelief while my hand was indeed taken and kissed more than once, with a warmth and softness which I lack the language to describe. As though it was already something of our own.  
He peered at me and I understood by his body language and brief withdrawal that he knew I was confused, so I simply went back home. Who was he? How did he know? What does he want from me? The same I do? That was what crossed my mind as I tried to go along with the rest of my day without the smallest bit of concentration and thinking I was getting mad. It could not be true.  
\- I’ll wait for you. – was what I recall having heard, even though I had no memory of his lips moving. Maybe it was just the wind and the sea.  
I went to bed with what had happened still fresh in my mind and without ceasing to think it felt good, however unlikely. It was still early because I suddenly felt very, very tired, so soon I fell asleep... Just as I was about to close my eyes, again I felt on my head as if fingers lighter than those of my own mother or even Mary stroke me here and there, moving random locks of hair, but not like the cold which in winter would come through the gaps in the bedroom window. It was always when I slept with my back to the door. The gesture of somebody sat close enough to the bed to stretch their arm and reach me even shrunk in fetal position.  
Within what I was sure was a level of subconsciousness, and therefore of dream, I turned to the other side with my eyes still shut lest I lost my sleep, but I ended up opening them. And there was that silhouette against the dark, I don’t know how. It could have scared me, but it didn’t happen; maybe for already being familiar like the beach. I wanted to get up, but he stopped me and I laid down again. We exchanged gazes for a long while until it was I who broke the beautiful silence.  
\- Hey... You have come. – the man just nodded in agreement.  
\- I told you I’d wait for you. And yes, it’s all true. All you thought was just conjecture.  
\- Really? How come? We’ve never spoken, never looked at each other... I even thought I was bothering you when you tackled me.  
\- I just know it. I know about what matters. – the sweetest of smiles opened his lips and I could barely keep eye contact.  
\- So... What do you want of me? Am I dreaming?  
\- I know what I want. The question that remains is... whether you want it too. If you want what every once in a while I call you to. Really staying with me and living far from here. – the man chuckled. – Life itself is a beautiful big dream, my love.  
\- So many are tricked by proposals like this. – I swallowed hard before that truth and again he agreed.  
\- I have heard of and witnessed many of those stories. But I don’t include myself among the rotten oranges. – I felt his fingers pull my face up in the penumbra and then the salty and humid warmth of his breath against my jaw. – You just have to close your eyes again and bet on it.  
Amazingly, I really weighed my perspectives before accepting the invitation. So many things have happened to me in the past few years... I guess nothing is left of who I was before and I likely had nothing to lose. Very slowly, with his eyes very close as the last thing I saw, I shut mine, dozing off again.  
And woke up on the sand, under the stars, because of the roar of the sea, and with him by my side. I don’t know how much time had passed, nor how I had gotten there, but by the man’s smile he probably had brought me. I resolved into just trusting in what happened once in my life and only asked why the beach again.  
\- Because it was here that we met... And because it is from here that I come. – the man murmured, looking affectionately at the horizon ahead. He likely saw question marks in my expression, for he just shrugged and added: - I was born on those sands and come from the bottom of this sea. Literally.  
I kept brief quiet and, when I thought he was gonna ask me if I was doubting him, I just asked him to take me wherever he wanted. If it was the ocean, that’s okay. Although I didn’t wish to die, if that was my time, at least I wouldn’t go alone. Before what I was witnessing at that moment, nothing seemed impossible. He sat near me on the sand and wrapped me in his arms, whilst I lowered my eyelids once more; a lot because of the comfort that came from that, of how familiar it felt.  
And ever since then the sirens sing to and envy the happiness of their prince, their king... And my own. Of all the tales of salt and leaf that only he knows and tells me. Of the fierceness of the joy in his smile and the softness of his countenance when he’s with me or speaks of me. Of my honor, of my certainty, of my love. Of all that ceased to have weight in the deep.

**Author's Note:**

> There it is, my dear gloriousthorn, as promised! :)


End file.
